Written Answers Friday 5 December 2008

Scottish Executive

Cancer

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made toward meeting the cancer waiting time target of 62 days, in percentage terms, from quarter to quarter since the target was set, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18143 on 4 December 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Child Protection

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has met representatives of Aberdeen City Council to discuss the HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) report, Joint inspection of services to protect children and young people in the Aberdeen City Council area, published on 13 November 2008.

Adam Ingram: The Cabinet Secretary has not met with Aberdeen City Council representatives to discuss the HMIE report.

  On Wednesday 12 November the Minister for Children and Early Years held a conference call to consider progress since the oral feedback provided by HMIE in June 2008. The representatives from Aberdeen agencies included:

  Colin McKerracher, Chief Constable Grampian Police and Chair of North East Scotland (NES) Child Protection Committee (CPC);

  Elinor Smith, Nursing Directorate, NHS Grampian and Vice Chair of NES CPC, and

  Mike Fox, an external consultant working with Aberdeen City Council on reform of the council’s social work delivery.

Child Protection

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has required Aberdeen City Council to prepare an action plan following publication of the HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) report, Joint inspection of services to protect children and young people in the Aberdeen City Council area.

Adam Ingram: After every inspection of services to protect children in a local authority area, HMIE ask the Chief Officers Group to prepare an action plan indicating how they will address the main recommendations of the report. In the case of Aberdeen, Scottish Government officials also met with Aberdeen Chief Officers in June 2008 and asked that they write to the Minister for Children and Early Years providing immediate and longer term assurances of the safety of vulnerable children in the area.

  Aberdeen City Council and its partners have produced a detailed action plan, and ministers have been assured that each action is already being addressed. Ministers will hold a follow-up meeting with Aberdeen agencies in January 2009 to discuss the latest progress against the plan.

Child Protection

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms (a) there are to require and (b) would be required to improve the sharing of information between professionals in relation to child protection.

Adam Ingram: The document Sharing Information About Children: a Guide to Good Practice (Scottish Executive 2004) makes it clear that "All professionals and service providers have a responsibility to act to make sure that a child whose safety or welfare may be at risk is protected from harm". In addition, good practice in information-sharing is already a key element monitored in child protection joint inspections led by HMIE.

  To improve information sharing further the Scottish Government is developing an eCare Framework to support best practice in information-sharing by electronic means, within a safe and secure environment.

  In March 2008, HMIE published an improvement guide: How good are we at sharing and recording information to help children and families? How good can we be? This guide is part of a series that focuses on specific issues highlighted through the child protection inspections. The guide aims to support staff to look at their information sharing practice when they need to:

  be alert to signs of abuse and recognise that a child needs help

  refer and communicate concerns within and between services

  respond to indications that a child may be in need of protection.

  Our support through Getting it Right for Every Child is helping to achieve the necessary shift in culture and practice. GIRFEC pathfinders and learning partners (Highland, Lanarkshire, Clydebank, Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway and Falkirk) are developing and testing approaches that facilitate multi-agency working to agree a proper course of action for a child, with a lead professional in place to ensure follow-up and co-ordination.

Coastal Protection

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Marine Bill will include provisions for the protection of coastal fringes.

Richard Lochhead: Sustainable Seas for All - a consultation on Scotland’s first marine bill  invited comment on proposals for a Scottish Marine Bill. Proposals include a new statutory marine planning system. It is proposed that Marine Scotland will develop a National Marine Plan for Scotland which will set out policies and priorities to promote sustainable economic growth and for the sustainable use, development and protection of Scotland’s marine and coastal resources. The plan will be integrated into the National Planning Framework for Scotland.

  It is also proposed that marine plans will be developed at a local level by Scottish Marine Boards comprising representatives from the main stakeholder interests within Scottish Marine Regions. Scottish Marine Boards and Marine Scotland will also be responsible for integrated coastal zone management (ICZM), a process intended to facilitate an integrated approach to the management and protection of resources at the land/sea interface.

  Responses to Sustainable Seas for All - a consultation on Scotland’s first marine bill are currently being considered.

Concessionary Travel

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are registered for free off-peak concessionary bus travel, broken down by local authority area.

Stewart Stevenson: The issuing of national entitlement cards is the responsibility of each local authority.

  Based on the information available to Transport Scotland I can advise you that the total number of valid national entitlement cards that were in circulation, giving access to Scotland-wide free bus travel for older and disabled People as of 23 October 2008 was 1,121,689. This is broken down by local authority and eligibility type as follows. Please also note that under the scheme there are no peak time restrictions for bus travel.

  Eligibility Type

  

 Local Authority
60 Yearsand Over
 Disabled
Disabled PlusCompanion
VisuallyImpaired
Visually ImpairedPlus Companion
 Totals


 Aberdeen City
 51,808
 6,929
 4,042
 33
 1,409
 64,221


 Aberdeenshire
 39,670
 2,083
 1,466
 79
 400
 43,698


 Angus
 23,409
 781
 604
 240
 117
 25,151


 Argyll and Bute
 20,340
 828
 1,244
 114
 195
 22,721


 City of Edinburgh
 79,775
 3,969
 8,998
 597
 1,180
 94,519


 Clackmannanshire
 8,913
 596
 520
 45
 64
 10,138


 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
 6,327
 199
 141
 22
 19
 6,708


 Dumfries and Galloway
 30,415
 1,649
 1,123
 102
 423
 33,712


 Dundee City
 29,630
 1,265
 2,302
 287
 407
 33,891


 East Ayrshire
 22,697
 1,573
 2,416
 107
 219
 27,012


 East Dunbartonshire
 21,510
 611
 1,078
 71
 133
 23,403


 East Lothian
 18,931
 853
 1,654
 69
 232
 21,739


 East Renfrewshire
 16,624
 560
 913
 71
 101
 18,269


 Falkirk
 27,452
 2,008
 1,290
 125
 284
 31,159


 Fife
 67,184
 2,911
 12,987
 60
 944
 84,086


 Glasgow
 89,317
 8,616
 17,415
 681
 1,411
 117,440


 Highland
 41,539
 2,588
 1,803
 260
 540
 46,730


 Inverclyde
 15,944
 1,168
 2,203
 117
 200
 19,632


 Midlothian
 15,404
 826
 1,607
 24
 232
 18,093


 Moray
 15,348
 986
 690
 62
 201
 17,287


 North Ayrshire
 28,254
 1,716
 2,877
 192
 344
 33,383


 North Lanarkshire
 51,152
 4,250
 6,552
 277
 506
 62,737


 Orkney Islands
 4,368
 188
 191
 12
 20
 4,779


 Perth and Kinross
 29,039
 914
 898
 201
 240
 31,292


 Renfrewshire
 32,237
 2,051
 3,519
 215
 355
 38,377


 Scottish Borders
 23,443
 1,260
 819
 209
 219
 25,950


 Shetland Islands
 4,271
 147
 217
 20
 17
 4,672


 South Ayrshire
 25,256
 1,421
 1,989
 150
 253
 29,069


 South Lanarkshire
 54,329
 3,334
 5,675
 260
 577
 64,175


 Stirling
 15,509
 984
 563
 116
 132
 17,304


 West Dunbartonshire
 16,083
 1,073
 2,252
 94
 234
 19,736


 West Lothian
 25,999
 1,269
 2,948
 55
 335
 30,606


 Totals
 952,177
 59,606
 92,996
 4,967
 11,943
 1,121,689

Culture

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps Creative Scotland will take to give young people, especially from deprived areas, the chance to learn about Scotland’s cultural heritage and to participate in projects or programmes that will help to develop their artistic skills and understanding.

Linda Fabiani: The government is committed to widening access to and participation in cultural activity to all groups and communities including young people and, in particular, those who experience deprivation and are under-represented in terms of cultural participation. It will be for Creative Scotland as the national development body for the arts and creativity to decide how best it can take forward this part of its remit to promote the enjoyment of arts and culture and develop talent. Creative Scotland will also work with partners such as local authorities, museums, galleries, libraries and heritage bodies to promote cultural heritage.

Dentists

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in recruiting foreign dentists to work in the NHS.

Shona Robison: The tender process for the contract of the recruitment of foreign dentists to work in the NHS in Scotland is now complete. A recruitment company has been identified and the recruitment process shall soon commence.

Efficient Government

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that delaying filling vacancies is an appropriate way of achieving efficiency savings.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not have a policy of delaying filling vacancies as a way of achieving efficiency savings.

Energy Efficiency

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £55.8 million Energy Assistance Package funding will be provided to benefit and money advice organisations and agencies, such as Citizens Advice Direct, to ensure that they can manage the expected increase in contacts following the introduction of the package.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18198 on 3 December 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Fair Trade

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it spent on Fairtrade products in 2007-08 and what proportion of overall spending on catering services this represents.

John Swinney: The total spend on fair trade and ethically traded products during 2007-2008 was £74,834. This comprises departmental and employee spend and represents 4.1% of the total catering spend of £1,819,994.

Finance

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it will receive in consequential funding as a result of announcements in the pre-Budget report, broken down by year.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government will receive consequential funding of £5.4 million in 2008-09, £5.7 million in 2009-10 and £0.2 million in 2010-11. In addition, we have the opportunity to bring forward up to £260 million of capital expenditure in 2008-09 and 2009-10 (£33.4 million and £226.6 million respectively). This funding will be offset by a corresponding reduction in expenditure in 2010-11.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that private landlords are aware of their obligations under the energy performance certificate legislation.

Stewart Stevenson: Private landlords have been kept fully informed about the requirements for Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) which come into force at the start of next year. The Scottish Government’s Building Standards Division has held a series of EPC awareness-raising seminars this autumn and all key property industry representatives, including private landlords, were invited.

  A range of information on EPCs is available on the Scottish Government’s website and leaflets have been distributed widely, including to private landlords. In addition, approximately 4,500 advice letters have been sent to those involved in the property industry, including solicitors and estate agents that look after the interests of private landlords.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that social landlords are aware of their obligations under the energy performance certificate legislation.

Stewart Stevenson: Social landlords have been kept fully informed about the requirements for Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) which come into force at the start of next year. The Scottish Government’s Building Standards Division has held a series of EPC awareness-raising seminars this autumn and all key property industry representatives, including social landlords, were invited. Demand from the social rented sector was so great that an extra seminar was held.

  A range of information on EPCs is available on the Scottish Government’s website and leaflets have been distributed widely, including to social landlords. In addition, approximately 4,500 advice letters have been sent to those involved in the property industry, including housing associations.

Local Income Tax

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16778 by John Swinney on 3 October 2008 in which it was stated that "we took account of the estimated costs to business highlighted in the report A Fairer Way by Sir Peter Burt", whether it regards these estimates as accurate.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government will continue to use the estimated costs to business from the Burt Report as a guide as we progress our local income tax proposals, recognising that the report is now two years old. We will also consider the effects of on-going developments in the processes of HM Revenue and Customs and in payroll software which will help generate efficiencies for business.

Local Income Tax

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16779 by John Swinney on 3 October 2008 in which it was stated that "The Scottish Government has no plans to publish such an analysis", what the reasons are for its position on this matter and whether it will reconsider the decision.

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16779 by John Swinney on 27 October 2008 in which it was stated that "The Scottish Government has no plans to publish such an analysis", whether such an analysis will be carried out but not published or whether no such analysis will be undertaken.

John Swinney: While we have no plans to publish the particular analysis referred to in the answer to S3W-16779 we will publish a financial memorandum and regulatory impact assessment as part of the legislative process related to local income tax. As I said in the answer to S3W-16779 we are determined to minimise the impact of the introduction of local income tax on small businesses. We will work with the business community to ensure this is the case.

Local Income Tax

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the First Minister’s comments on 30 October 2008 with regard to the local income tax in which he said to expect "all estimates that are attached to the bill to be brought forward in a timely response to the consultation exercise, in time for the introduction of the legislation" ( Official Report c. 11921), what estimates are expected and when.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government is reflecting on the responses to the local income tax consultation and we will publish our response early in 2009. We will also publish early next year revised local income tax revenue projections based on the information and changes contained in the pre-Budget report. As part of the legislative process we will also publish a financial memorandum and regulatory impact assessment.

Local Income Tax

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering allowing local authorities to set their own local income tax (LIT) rates with a cap of 3p in the pound, whether such an approach would have implications for potential LIT administration costs for employers and, if so, whether these have been costed.

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its press release of 24 November 2008 accompanying publication of responses to the local income tax consultation, in which the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth stated that "options for local variability of the tax rate in a downward direction" were being analysed, whether the analysis will cover the associated costs to employers and whether this will be published in advance of the financial memorandum.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government is currently reflecting on the responses to the local income tax consultation and we will publish our response early in 2009. As part of the legislative process we will also publish a financial memorandum and regulatory impact assessment.

Pharmacists

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote public and patient awareness of the new roles of community pharmacists.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has produced promotional and patient awareness materials for the Minor Ailments Service and Acute Medication Service. These materials were made available in pharmacies and GP surgeries. In addition, the Minor Ailments Service has been promoted through the use of posters in pharmacies’ windows. Further patient awareness campaigns are planned for other services to be introduced in the new pharmacy contract.

Planning

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, with regard to development proposals for the Cairngorm National Park, ministers and public bodies are meeting the requirements of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 as it relates to conservation of biodiversity.

Michael Russell: I have no reason to believe that the Cairngorms National Park Authority or other public bodies do not take full account of their duty to further the conservation of biodiversity in exercising any functions in relation to development applications.

Planning

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what surveys of invertebrates are required on proposed national park development sites.

Michael Russell: This is a matter for the relevant planning authority to determine after taking account of the characteristics of the site.

Pre-School Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary to question S3F-1053 by Alex Salmond on 25 September 2008 ( Official Report c. 11225), what evidence there is to suggest that the number of nursery teachers is substantially increasing.

Adam Ingram: In the census for 2008, pre-school centres were asked for the first time to report numbers of peripatetic teachers, who work across more than one centre, separately from teachers employed in their centre only. In 2008, the headcount figures for teachers employed in only one centre was approximately the same as that for all teachers in 2007. In addition, a head count of 600 was reported for peripatetic teachers, equating to 204 whole-time-equivalent staff.

Pre-School Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the First Minister’s answer to question S3F-1053 on 25 September 2008 ( Official Report c. 11225) was accurate given that the figures published by it, and referred to in the answer to question S3W-16934 by Adam Ingram on 11 November 2008, show a decrease in the number of nursery teachers.

Adam Ingram: Data on numbers of pre-school teachers is collected in two ways in the Scottish Government’s annual pre-school and childcare census – head count, or physical numbers of teachers and whole-time equivalent (WTE). The question asked by Margaret Smith on 25 September used the headcount figures, and was answered by the First Minister on that basis. In the process, he also referred to the change in methodology between the 2007 and 2008 census. The 2008 census removed double-counting of peripatetic teachers which featured in the 2007 census.

Pre-School Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to fulfil the SNP manifesto commitment to guarantee access to a nursery teacher and increase nursery provision by 50%, in light of reports that the number of nursery teachers is declining.

Adam Ingram: This government has made significant progress in the last 18 months in terms of improving the position of pre-school children in Scotland, in line with our manifesto commitments. We have made the most significant enhancement to pre-school education since 2002, increasing the entitlement to 475 hours from the start of the last academic year with a further increase to 570 hours from August 2010. We have also included our commitment to deliver access to a teacher for all pre-school children as quickly as possible in our concordat with local government.

Roads

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether progress towards completion of the M74 link remains on target.

Stewart Stevenson: Yes, progress towards completion of the M74 link remains on target for completion in autumn 2011.

Rural Development

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the success of the Scottish Rural Development Plan.

Richard Lochhead: The Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) was approved in February 2008. Resultant proposals for funding from programme resources have only been made on projects and proposals since then. It is therefore too early to provide an evidence based assessment of the impact of the programme.

  The success of the programme will be judged through a combination of the work of the SRDP’s statutory programme monitoring committee, on-going evaluation activities, an annual programme implementation report to the European Commission and annual review meetings with the Commission. The performance of the SRDP will also be assessed in a mid-term evaluation in 2010 and an ex-post evaluation to be completed by 2015.

  In addition, the Scottish Government expects to be reviewing the SRDP early next year. This will ensure the programme continues to meet the needs of rural Scotland especially given recent economic developments and taking into account the experience gained in the first year of the programme’s operation.

Scottish Government Staff

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9955 by John Swinney on 3 March 2008, what the turnover of staff has been in the private office of the (a) First Minister, (b) Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, (c) Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, (d) Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, (e) Cabinet Secretary for Justice and (f) Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment since May 2007.

John Swinney: The detailed information requested is currently being collated and I will write to the member as soon as the information is available. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47096 ).

Sectarianism

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 33 projects awarded funding from the Race, Religion and Refugee Integration Fund on 28 July 2008 are aimed at tackling sectarianism.

Fergus Ewing: The 33 projects which were awarded funding from the Race, Religion and Refugee Integration Funding Stream are listed on the One Scotland website. All of these projects aim to break down barriers which exist between different communities and build an inclusive Scotland for all of our people. http://www.scotlandagainstracism.com/onescotland/366.1.223.html .

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Legal Advice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body why legal advice to committees or parliamentary officials as part of their deliberations and decision making is not published and whether, in the interests of openness, transparency and accountability, it will review this practice.

Alex Fergusson: Committees and officials on behalf of the SPCB do commission legal advice. In accordance with accepted practice in the public and private sectors, it is up to those commissioning the advice to decide whether to make that legal advice public in each case. There are no plans at present to review this practice in the Scottish Parliament.